Thanks for dropping by and checking out JTA's roundup of all of the Hasbro Q&A sessions from around the web. The roundup is continually updating as we get more and more responses posted at the participating websites. If you know of a site that's participating in the Q&A's but isn't represented in our roundup, please drop us a line with a hyperlink to that site's Q&A.

You can check out each site's postings by clicking on the website title. The Star Wars Q&A's are posted alphabetically, and are followed by any Indiana Jones Q&A's that the Hasbro Lucasfilm team has fielded.

Also be sure to check back as we distill the Q&A's down to the real nitty gritty with out Q&A Headlines. That is where we give you real news that comes out of the Q&A: newly confirmed items, assortments, exclusive details, etc. And feel free to post about what Hasbro is saying in the Q&A process here in the Jedi Temple War Room.

QUESTION: We've been seeing some rumblings around the collecting community about the Vintage Figure concept. Rumors of figure lineups for later this year or beyond. And further indications that the concept might be extended to the Prequel era. HYPOTHETICALLY SPEAKING, if that is the case, what OT characters might we expect? And how would Hasbro approach packaging a premium style PT figure - on the classic Kenner-Star Wars style card, or on a reproduction of the PT style cardbacks?

ANSWER: We can confirm that there is no vintage line in development at this time, but we would like to see it return in 2010 if possible (don't give credit to rumors - they are often founded on wishful thinking). If and when Vintage returns, it will draw from a mix of all six films. We would stick with the classic silver & black if we did it rather than recreate/reinterpret the different films. The spirit of vintage, to us and most fans, is rooted in the classic Kenner line.

QUESTION: Deluxe Figures have been a prominent part of the Indiana Jones line and indications seem to be that a Deluxe Figure line might be on the way for Clone Wars. What kind of offerings might we expect in a Clone Wars Deluxe Figure line, and will the concept carry over to the Legacy Collection?

ANSWER: The main idea behind a future potential return of Deluxe would be to add smaller vehicles back into the line (speeder bikes, etc). There may be 1-2 other concepts we would look to introduce back into the line (crab or spider droids for instance) but for the most part small vehicles would be the focus. Hopefully we will see some good small vehicles in the animation to be able to flesh out an exciting lineup.

QUESTION: We've seen a trend over the past several years where most of the OT hero vehicles (X-Wing, TIE Fighter, Rebel fighters, etc) have been upgraded. And they've been upgraded to the point where most of them are no longer in the accessible $20 price point that the assault vehicles occupy. Certainly the PT Jedi Starfighters still fit in this range, but with the Delta 7 being updated, can we expect those to stay at a $20 price point? And can we expect any more OT hero vehicles at that same price point any time soon?

ANSWER: Most of the older OTC vehicles simply won't fit the price point, so they have stayed outside and have been updated/upgraded as we can afford to do it. It has been difficult maintaining the $20 price point with even current vehicles that have no changes, much less adding the newly tooled vehicles into the mix (with more on the way in 2009, by the way!). It's likely that $20 won't be around for too long, but our commitment to continuing to deliver new and updated vehicles remains as long as fans continue to show their support.

QUESTION: Given the focus on Rebel pilots and droids lately, would you consider hitting two birds with one stone and releasing two-packs of Rebel pilots with their corresponding astromech droids? This would be a good way to sell otherwise similar-looking pilots and get their droids at the same time, and also would be a good opportunity to finally update that underwhelming Red Leader figure and his cardboard droid from the 2003 X-wing.

ANSWER: That is certainly an interesting idea, one that we have considered for a down-the-road possibility.

QUESTION: A few times in Q&A's history, you've suggested collectors submit their local stores' pegwarming data to you so Hasbro store reps can get these problems fixed. Some of the stores did show signs of improvement in this department, but others still suffered old TSC pegwarmers (Moff Jerjerrod is pretty consistent) and showed absolutely no signs of moving for nearly two years (until they were clearanced before the Clone Wars/Legacy Collection SKU reset), and the reports on these were coming in from all over the country. What, if anything, was done on your part to fix the problem, and what will be done in the future? When these issues arise again (as they likely will, since they often have), will we just have to wait several years until pegwarmers go on clearance when the line resets again (which doesn't always happen)? If nothing else, having several Hasbro Star Wars pegs filled up with very old product is going to hamper sales of newer product, hurting your business and hindering collectors' ability to get new figures, right?

ANSWER: Despite hearing about the issues, we have received very few actual store #s for troubleshooting purposes. We want to underscore that we need specific store information, which can be sent to either consumer affairs or back through the website feedback channel. We don't anticipate as many issues going forward as we will likely be changing out our main assortment numbers every year, so the older stock should automatically purge. When we do keep numbers going, we will keep an eye on the stock in case there are backups, and that's where we'll need your help.

QUESTION: Could you discuss some of the accomplishments you all most proud of regarding the Star Wars line? On the flipside, what things would you have done differently if given the chance?

ANSWER: Rather than any one toy (although we all have our favorites!), the single thing we are most proud of, as a team, is the recognition that we are delivering toys that continue to delight and excite kids and collectors, week in/week out and year in/year out. As long-time fans ourselves, the ability to continue to innovate and expend the boundaries of Star Wars toys is very rewarding.

QUESTION: So you’ve come through with the AT-TE, various Republic Gunships, AATs, Hailfire Droids, and the Homing Spider Droid. You’re releasing a Geonosis Command Platform, and now Phase I clones are back in vogue. Any chance, assuming a home run with the AT-TE, that you will continue to bolster the Battle of Geonosis’ participants forces by making the SPHA-T?(DarthDre)

ANSWER: Well, that would be an ambitious one, but honestly it’s very unlikely it will ever happen in 3-3/4”. There are a good number of “larger” vehicles ahead of it if we get the chance to do any more.

QUESTION: Street dates are an exciting concept. It creates an event and should give everyone equal opportunity to purchase the product. The problem is that your retail partners seem to be overmatched when managing their end of the bargain. Product is being sold directly out of the stock rooms which may lead to many disappointments during big launches (ex: 7/26) when stores are already sold out of some items. In more serious instances, the product is being placed on the floor early and customers are being denied sale of the product at the registers with the explanation that there is a “China related recall”. While collectors know the real reason for being denied the sale, parents who are shopping for their children will not. In the recent toy industry climate, this is a huge public relations blow for Hasbro through no fault of their own. Are you concerned about this? Are the occasional failures of “street date integrity” within an acceptable margin of error for Hasbro, or do you have plans to tighten up the process in the future? (Lunchbox)

QUESTION: Remember those Disney exclusive Star Tours figures from 2002-2004? Have there been any discussions about repaints or reissues of any of the droid sculpts into the basic line? Repaints of the R5-D2 and DL-X2 would both make for nice background droids at some point if you're looking to fill a Pilot/Droid themed Battle Pack or something.

ANSWER: Interesting suggestion. We had not considered using these in anything that we are doing, but if the sculpts hold up and there is justification for them they could be fair game sometime.

QUESTION: Hypothetical question - let’s say that in one of the Star Wars movies, there’s a scene where the main characters go into a local establishment looking for a space ship ride. Then let’s say that in this establishment there are two female characters who look eerily similar to one another. What could the collector/fan base do to get those “eerily similar looking generic female patrons” made into 3.75” figures?

ANSWER: Unfortunately, there is no hypothetical help that will aid in getting these creatures on the production list. It would be nice to complete the scene someday, and we’ll keep trying.

QUESTION: Chewbacca - he’s everyone’s favorite wookiee (well, he’s my favorite wookiee anyway). He’s got it pretty good - a life filled with plenty of adventure, taking on Kessel Runs and such with his best pal Han Solo. Sounds like a good life, right? Wrong! He’s lonely! He misses his family! When, O when will Chewie finally have a 3.75” family to go home to? He needs his Malla!

ANSWER: The only other place that some of Chewie's family appears outside the one TV appearance would be the run of Marvel issues with a fairly interesting Kashyyyk storyline. It's possible that we could eventually get to this issue (although it is lower on our priority list).

QUESTION: Alright guys, I think we've finally worn you down. There was a time when we were told large scale vehicles and playsets don't typically sell well and leave a "footprint" on retail shelves. Fast forward and the BMF is already showing up around the web to an overwhelmingly positive reception, mouths are watering over the coming AT-TE, and you've even got a playset lined up for the Indiana Jones line.

Granted scenes and playsets are more integral to the Indiana Jones universe but if the Akator Temple playset performs well, would that increase the likelihood of seeing more large scale playsets over in the Star Wars brand?

That aside, are there any plans for further deluxe vehicles around the size of the AT-TE and BMF down the pipeline? Just tell me who to bribe to get an Imperial Star Destroyer in the works! This question comes from JI reader die fighting x.

ANSWER: Our stance hasn't changed. The vehicles for this year (Millennium Falcon and AT-TE) are, of course, much more than simple vehicles, and we consider them having playset-like figure interaction, and are greatly aided by the fact they are heavily featured in the entertainment. We will not be pursuing traditional playsets for Star Wars unless there is a compelling scene that presents itself in either Clone Wars or the live action show. The only way we could have done a larger (non-Deluxe) playset for IJ was if we had a good starting place to save on tooling, and luckily we were able to do that.

QUESTION: Dear Hasbro, please include more of the built-in displays that have been coming out with certain vehicles within the last few years. Really have enjoyed the new Y-wing and the recent Zev Seneska snowspeeder. Please keep 'em coming. Request by JI reader Tristan.

ANSWER: Thanks for the good word. Our packaging team has worked hard to make sure the backgrounds add to the fantasy and are as fully-fleshed out as possible, and we intend to keep doing this whenever possible.

QUESTION: Any chance of seeing a Admiral Daala figure, or perhaps a Lumiya? There's definitely a shortage of female figures in the Star Wars Universe, updated Bespin Leia with the new articulation would be nice as well. Question by JI reader Capt Piett.

ANSWER: There is good news on the horizon for Lumiya, as she will be coming in the first wave of 2009 comic packs. As for Bespin Leia, there is a good chance we'll get to her eventually, although she is not in the lineup right now.

QUESTION: Will Adam May's head (from Galactic Hunter - winner of Target's WOW competition), come out as a mass market figure, maybe on a troop builder?

Also, now that you're making somebody from one of the community's websites how about doing the same from some of the other sites (hint, hint) - I'm sure some of us would like to see ourselves up for plastic immortalisation on a Hasbro figure! If it's a matter of having to win a competition how about the best question each month submitted to this Q&A?

ANSWER: We are still in disbelief that someone as prominent in the online Star Wars collecting community as Adam May won the Target Wow or Never sweepstakes. The odds were pretty huge! Based on his philanthropic efforts and support for all things Star Wars, there are few people more deserving. His head sculpt will be a custom; it will not be released to the mass market.

QUESTION: Thanks for the great guides you released earlier this week. The guides state that additional products will be released throughout the Fall (Autumn for us here in Britain). Where are these likely to be announced and is it just in terms of waves of figures, or might we expect more vehicles, battle packs, exclusives and the like? Even without the repacks, there's still a lot coming out over the coming months, so it would be nice to have a rough idea of how much more there is still to come so we can all budget accordingly.

ANSWER: By now you have seen the announcements from Comic Con and have seen the additional figure waves, battle packs, and exclusives that will be available. The Guide seems to be so popular that a movement is afoot to bring it out more frequently. Look for the next update in early November...

QUESTION: I know us UK fans always ask this but with no Target, Wal-Mart or K-Mart in the UK, how likely will we be able to get the store exclusives revealed this week coupled with the Comic-Con exclusives too? Also, it seems that the Legacy Collection poster will be given out at Celebration Japan and Comic-Con, will we be able to get it over here, maybe via Toys R Us (as with previous posters - although we never got the Galactic Heroes poster which many of us would still love to get)?

ANSWER: We have been working earnestly to ensure that all of our exclusives are also available globally and have made great progress, so U.K. distribution should be set for everything. As for the posters, the Droid Factory poster is already in market in the U.K. at Toys 'R Us and The Entertainer. The U.K. marketing team will look at the Galactic Heroes poster. Since the Heroes line has not seen as comprehensive a release as in the U.S., the team did not think it was a good idea to put out a poster with so many figures that had not been available to that point in the U.K. They will take another look and see if it makes sense. If not, then perhaps we could do a future poster that would capture more of a contemporary snapshot of what is available rather than the complete history.

QUESTION: I brought my first Mighty Mugg last month, a Commander Cody. These are a great idea but I was wondering what the story is with the square peg hole in the base of his right foot. What is the peg holes purpose? Are these for some future release of some base environments? or maybe for inclusion of some electronic features? Please resolve this 'Round Peg in the Square Hole' question.

ANSWER: We're glad you like the Muggs - it seems a whole lot of people have fallen under their spell as well. Adding a peg hole is sort of systematic on our figure lines….we can't help it, because it gives us forward compatibility if there should ever be future stands or environments. However, there are none planned currently for Muggs - just more of the same great taste!

QUESTION: Recently an image of the promotional poster featuring all the 2008 Basic figures was posted on an internet site. This revealed exactly what we will be seeing as part of Wave 3 & 4 of The Legacy Collection. Of note is Wave 4 (ROTS) and it's 'anchor' figure - a correctly scaled General Grevious.Firstly, thank-you very much for this. Secondly, what can we expect from the figure? i.e. articulation, accessories, etc. It image on the poster also shows that the figure will have 'four' arms, will we get alternate arms like with the CLONE WARS version? If not, was the figure designed in such a way that you could easily make the 'alternate' arms sometime down the road? Also, will he fit in his Starfighter comfortably or is he a tighter fit than previous versions?

ANSWER: There is no need for separate arms, because the arms actually split in two! While he is taller, he will fit into his starfighter without a problem.

QUESTION: With the Clone Wars having such a strong kid focus, and with the creation of such a Huge Millennium Falcon playset, (assume how well it sells thru)...What are the chances that we may see some larger playset created? These could be either battlefield style interlocking pieces depicting different planets depicted in the Clone Wars show or maybe larger ships such as Star Destroyers or even, to appease us 'old timers', playset sections of the Death Star. Having a whole new bunch of figures to play from such an dynamic show sure would warranty some playset development?

ANSWER: If the Millennium Falcon (and AT-TE) are a success, we will be looking at other possibilities for bigger/high-priced vehicles. However, traditional playsets are still low on our list due to the extraordinary nature of tooling, recent track record for playsets, and lower kid appeal. A lot too depends on whether there is an iconic playset opportunity in either animated Clone Wars or live action before we would even consider.

QUESTION: Will we ever see the out-of-scale Ewoks Wicket, Paploo, and Teebo redone?

ANSWER: Yes, we have plans for at least one of these guys in 2009, and the others will be on our "short list" (pun intended) when we draft up the 2010 line plan.

QUESTION: Now that the WED Droid has been anounced, the only remaining droid from the Purchase of the Droids scene in ANH is 2X-7KPR. Any chance of seeing him in the next year or two, hopefully with a new SA Uncle Owen from ANH? Owen is the only character released in this scene that sorely needs an update!

ANSWER: We agree that Owen needs an update, but it'll still be a while before we get to him. As for the droid, we like the little guy... don't be surprised if you see him in somewhere in the 2009 line.

QUESTION: You've previously mentioned that you are working on a Jabba the Hutt figure in the animated Clone Wars style. Given that we've been waiting for a really well sculpted ROTJ Jabba AND the fact that he's so difficult to slot into the line due to his size, why not take this opportunity to just give us a ROTJ sculpt Jabba which the kids can incorporate into their play pattern as a CW Jabba? I doubt that the kids would complain that Jabba wasn't in an animated style.

ANSWER: Jabba is in the Clone Wars line, so that is the styling he will get to be consistent with the rest of the animated Clone Wars figures. We still have plans for a new EpVI Jabba, and there's a chance that he will come out in late 2009.

QUESTION: Having seen an image of the upcoming Jedi vs. Sith and ARC Troopers Unleashed Battle Packs, I must say that I'm very pleased. Great work on both sets! (Dooku is definitely a highlight.) But as for the Jedi Generals pack, can you confirm whether there's anything new regarding those figures or are they intended as straight repacks from the Order 66 and Battle of Kashyyyk series? I'm a bit disappointed that you didn't take the opportunity to do up an Agen Kolar in place of Saesee Tiin so that the arrest scene could be completed, but I understand these things aren't always possible. Thanks for your time! (And might I just add that the large-scale Unleashed line was easily my favorite SW merchandise ever. It's certainly missed.)

ANSWER: We're glad you like the upcoming Unleashed 2" sets, Dan. The generals are all based on existing hero figures. Good news is that there is an Agen Kolar coming later in the Fall (in a pack with Shaak Ti, Plo Koon, and Aayla Secura) so that scene can be completed.

QUESTION: My Question you are going to release Power Rangers (a reference to the Crimson Empire training set), but you wont Release Jaxxon or any of the other Marvel Star Wars Characters with good sculpts, what gives?

ANSWER: We're not sure what you are referring to regarding the Marvel run. We have announced already that we are producing a Lumiya figure and will be looking to some of the better characters created during the Marvel run for consideration in future packs (not to mention the cool K-3PX in the Wal-Mart droids exclusive sets and upcoming Marvel #94 Ewok 3-pack). We also hope that you give the Crimson Empire set ample consideration. We feel the Crimson Empire storyline and its sequel, Crimson Empire II, written by Mike Richardson and Randy Stradley, is an exceptional, lasting storyline worthy of attention. CE not only tells a great "origin" story for the Royal Guards, explaining why they are supremely skilled and unfailingly loyal to the Emperor, but also introduces important and memorable characters in Kir Kanos, Carnor Jax, and Mirrith Sinn.

QUESTION: With all of the new figures coming out, do you plan to release a carrying case for the figures? As of now, my 4 year old son is using one of my vintage Vader cases, and a beat up C-3PO case. I would love to buy a new one for him,but there has not been anything in stores for a while.

ANSWER: We don't have anything coming up but it's something we're always looking at. There are reasons we aren't releasing the Vader (or other recent) cases that we won't go into to, but the opportunity always exists to do a "regular" case and we'll look into it for sometime down the road.

QUESTION: What are the chances of seeing some more AOTC padmes made? (I'd love to see senator amidala in her senatorial robes with her hair back in that sort of cone shaped hairdo from palpatines office, and padme in the yellowish outfit from the naboo meadow scene. Any hope for these?

ANSWER: There is a good chance that we'll get to these at some point, but it may take a while. We'd like to do at least 1 new film-based Padme/year, whether EpI or EpII, and will be sure to spread it around.

QUESTION: Now that we have a mold for a C-3po (throne) that people like and the ability for a r2 that can be used( retractable leg) How about a two pack of our favorite duo from EP 4? Dirty with jawa restaints and an escape pod?

ANSWER: These versions will probably be in the lineup soon, but probably not as a 2-pack (although that it a very interesting idea if the other plans fall through).

QUESTION: Wedge Antilles is one of the top secondary characters of the OT having survived all 3 movies. How come he has never appeared in the regular carded line? He is definitely one who would be a good candidate for an updated X-Wing body. Or since I dont believe he has been made as a Snowspeeder pilot, how about on the new Snowspeeder body that Wes Janson uses? Also keep the removable helmets on the X-Wing pilots but get rid of the hooded heads.

ANSWER: Wedge *has* appeared in the regular carded line, although as an exclusive. We did have plans for a great Wedge this year, but the project was delayed and will appear in Fall 2009 if all goes according to schedule. Stay tuned!

QUESTION: In the latest trailer of Clone Wars animation, there is a sighting of Jabba's Sail Barge. Assuming the upcoming AT-TE and Millennium Falcon sell well, what would the chances be of getting a Sail Barge toy with its appearance in both the cartoon and being a key action segment of the first half of Return of the Jedi? I mean, it could help sell Clone Wars figures and OT figures, in ROTJ alone nearly every major hero is battling on it or right next to it, and it features one of the most well-known Star Wars characters ever, Jabba the Hutt, so you have tons of character recognition and interaction, plus animation support, and those battle elements (cannons, flying Fett, explosions) lend it some "aggressive" action. Any of that help its chances, help clear the filters that have been holding it back so far which you mentioned when asked about this piece before?

ANSWER: Well, it helps. You make a good case, but the vehicle still has some significant risk vs. other choices we could make. It simply is not as iconic, prevalent in the entertainment, and as cool as the Millennium Falcon (for example). We will keep watching it and see where it appears and what support it gets. If the big vehicle program this year proves a success, and if it has significant entertainment play, then we will take a hard look at it.

QUESTION: Why is it that the Y-wing mold was altered for a dedicated astromech droid dome, making it impossible to insert a droid figure? Might the Y-wing mold ever be remolded to once again accept droid figures into a droid slot?

ANSWER: This was changed when the bomb-dropping mechanism was added. It is certainly possible that a future edition of the Y-Wing could have the droid slot restored, but this would necessitate a substantial rework of the tooling to do so, and we would need to evaluate the cost.[Editor's note: the bomb-dropping feature was on the original Kenner ROTJ version, so we will ask for clarification on this. -JT]

QUESTION: How far do you plan on taking the animated-style Clone Wars line? Will it continue indefinitely with a new stream of figures through the run of the show, or will it be more limited and spread out like the previous 2004-2005 line of animated figures?

ANSWER: The Animated Clone Wars series is a massive undertaking on the part of Lucasfilm and their broadcast partners around the world, and will be the way in which a new generation of young fans will experience Star Wars for the first time. Since kids want to play Star Wars like they see it on the screen, our plans are no less ambitious and we will be continuing with new figures, vehicles, role play, and more as the series unfolds.

QUESTION: THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for that checklist you released for the new toys. It was above and beyond for you to tell us exactly what is a straight repack and what is new. I implore you, could you please provide such information, if even on just a quarterly basis, going forward?

ANSWER: You are welcome! We ran it by our team and think it's an excellent idea. For now, we will plan to release updates about three times a year - 0n 8/1, 11/1 (approximately) and 3/1. The first and last dates coincide with our planogram resets, and the 11/1 will be a useful guide to what to look for during the winter and early spring. Thanks for the suggestion.

QUESTION: The upcoming Republic Gunship release makes it appear that it may have side panels that the previous versions did not. Will there be any new features or molding changes (or turret balls) with this gunship, or is it identical to the previous ones other than paint?

ANSWER: The gunship will be the same as the previous versions, with new deco and nose-art insignia.

QUESTION: The Shadow paint has been prevalent, but why have we not received a Titanium Stealth X from the star Wars novels? This is an in-demand in-universe ship (vs. the navy blue AT-AT) that fans would respond well to.

ANSWER: We aren't as familiar with this one, but we'll consider it for a down-the-road possibility.

QUESTION: Does the upcoming Legacy Collection General Grievous (BD #25) figure come with a cape? If so, is it plastic or softgoods? Does the figure itself have interchangeable arms, as "The Clone Wars" version does?

ANSWER: No, the figure does not come with a cape. The figures' arms actually can split into 4 or be seamlessly joined together, there is no need for another set of arms.

QUESTION: The Build-a-Droid C-3PX's shoulders are ball-jointed, similar to 4-LOM's. Could a similar design be used to produce a movie-accurate ROTS armored Darth Vader, with the shoulder armor covering the ball-joints the way the two droids' shoulder-caulings do?

ANSWER: Yes, this could be possible but the armor on Vader's shoulders is actually 1 piece, so it would limit the articulation. (This answer is incorrect, as Vader's ROTS shoulder armor does have hinged joints at each shoulder. )

QUESTION: Any idea on how soon we might see AOTC/ROTS-accurate figures of Owen Lars and Beru Whitesun Lars?

ANSWER: We hope you won't have to wait too long, if our schedules hold.

QUESTION: I've noticed that the new Homing Spider seems a bit "short", that is the spherical pod seems to be resting a little too close to ground level when compared to the film version. In the clips that I've seen the distance from the underside of the pod (including the cannon) to the ground seems to be high enough that a Super Battle Droid could stand just under the pod. In the toy however, that distance is far less, maybe half the height of the SBD. Is there any way to adjust the height higher or will Hasbro tweak it so that the pod will be raised higher as it is connected to its legs?

ANSWER: We designed the biggest & best toy we could afford to hit our price point for this guy, and that meant balancing out the articulation, size, and tooling. There is no way to adjust the height. If we added to the height, something else would have had to give or we would not have been able to afford it at all. It's one of our favorites, and hope that once you get it (this was submitted prior to 7/26) that you approve!

QUESTION: There was previous mention by Hasbro of a ROTJ style Rancor based on the recent TFU Target exclusive Rancor mold. Is this still coming, and will it come with a newly sculpted Malakili, the Rancor Keeper? This figure is long overdue for an update and packing him in with the Rancor seems to be the best way to prevent him from pegwarming.

ANSWER: By now, you have seen the Rancor based on the new TFU mold (with new molded parts for EpVI). He (she?) will come with Luke, but we can confirm that a new Malakili will be coming in 2009 in the EpVI wave.

QUESTION: Was there any reason why it was not possible to have a passageway that connects the BMF's cockpit to the rest of the ship's crew area? Was it a structural issue or a cost-saving measure?

ANSWER: There were actually several reasons why this was considered, but ultimately not executed. First was structural support; as this is a big vehicle, we needed to make sure that it had all the structural integrity possible and it was deemed necessary to have a solid "wall" there. Second, there are lights, wires and switches that needed to run through the area. Third, it would have required more parts than we had in the plans. And finally, it still would have been a tight passage and not that fun to push figures through. So for all of these reasons, that passage was left closed.

QUESTION: After receiving two Evolution Figures, Darth Maul seems to still lack something – Ball Jointed Knees*. He does all sorts of acrobats, he would definitely deserve it. Have you ever considered resculpt the legs of the 2nd Evolution Darth Maul for Ball Joints - and giving him a detailed soft-goods shirt along with his well deserved Flared Double (Breakable) Saber?

ANSWER: That is a great idea for a future modification for an "ultimate" Darth Maul, although maybe more expensive than we could deliver on a basic figure card. Very interesting idea though, thanks.

* I think this was supposed to be "hips" rather than knees

QUESTION: Dear Hasbro, in past Q&As you have occasionally commented on upcoming items saying how the community would be pleased once said items were revealed, with remarks such as "Stay tuned, we think you'll be pleased with what we have in store."

As such, have you ever created an item which your team thought was great, expecting the community to agree, but were instead surprised to find the community up in arms about it?

Likewise, have you ever created something you thought was sub-par, and gotten a much better reaction than you expected?

Can you share any anecdotes about such items?

ANSWER: Interesting question, and one for which we don't have a very good answer. We seem to be in synch with the fans for the most part it seems. We will say that there are a couple of exclusives that we thought were well executed but failed to find their mark or took a lot longer to sell through than we anticipated. The Obi-Wan Jedi Starfighter with Hyperspace Ring was one of these, although the fact that Obi-Wan's ship was unchanged from the open-stock version (and this most all collectors already had it) was a challenge for that set. As for the other side, items that we didn't think were our best efforts but succeeded....well believe it or not the very first wave of Battle Packs in late 2005 were a little shaky. There was one solid one (with the new-tooled Obi-Wan and Asaaj) but the others were not our strongest efforts in terms of theming and concept, but the best we could do with the time we had. Instead, they succeeded (wildly) based on the value and heroic presentation by our packaging team, and Battle Packs have never looked back.

QUESTION: Dear Hasbro, could you clarify some of the figures on the new 2008 Legacy poster that was recently revealed? The Saleucami Clone Trooper figure looks to be a repack of Commander Neyo (aside from the reduced weathering). Is this the figure we'll be getting, or will it actually be the other Clone from the Treachery on Saleucami Battle Pack? Also, will the Holographic Transmission Count Dooku include the lightsaber with the painted hilt or with it be unpainted like previous holographic figure accessories? And finally, what type of articulation will those new RA-7 models have? Will they be on par with the C-3PX B.A.D. figure or more like the previous RA-7 molds (without knee, elbow and ankle articulation?

ANSWER: By now, you have seen pictures of the figures in question and probably have your answers. The Clone Trooper is indeed the one that came in the Treachery on Saleucami battle pack. Dooku's lightsaber will be unpainted. Finally, the RA-7 droids will have the same level of articulation as the C-3PX with insert molded knees, elbows, and ankles but swivel shoulders.

QUESTION: It seems like many stores put out the Clone Wars and Legacy figures weeks in advance of the street date. Some even went as far (by mistake, I assume) to put them on the clearance section. This seemed like the biggest leak of any line thus far, we used to see a few slip by here and there but with this latest wave it seems like every day a new report came in of people finding them and buying them. Does Hasbro track these stores and if so, what happens to them? It's nice for those who are able to get them early, but it also is a big disappointment for those of us waiting for the 7/26 events to show up and see that the hard to find or first day foils are all gone because a store sold them out the first week of July.

ANSWER: All stores are supposed to adhere to the retail shelf-date. Directions were given to the store level by the retailers' headquarters, so any violation of this was an unintentional mistake or something they knowingly should not be doing. As we hear of stores releasing product early, we ask them to take the product off the self or stop selling it to consumers, and in some cases our retail merchandising group works to get it to the back room. We don't know what repercussions take place after we report the stores we know of that deliberately break the date; our concern is to keep everyone focused on the date.

QUESTION: We have already heard that the 2008 lineup of FX Sabers will be previously released sabers. This leads to a 2 part question. One is when can we expect to see a new design in 2009 and who's saber will it be?

ANSWER: There will be new sabers in 2009, but it's too early to talk about what they will be and when they will be available. Stay tuned…

QUESTION: Do you have any plans to re-visit the 12" line with the Clone Wars Series or is that something that would still fall under another company?

ANSWER: Sideshow has been releasing a great series of 12" figures aimed at collectors, and our plan is to let them work their magic in this regard. As we did with Indiana Jones, it's possible that we'll explore a kid-targeted 12" line but so far have no concrete plans to reintroduce the size.

QUESTION: Many collectors are noticing that the Indiana Jones line of figures seems to be sitting around at stores and not moving as well as hoped. A glut of product seems to be preventing new figures from coming in, and many fans are worried that the line may be cut short as a result, despite the fact that you've announced that you have plans for 2009. Also, with late July came the return of Star Wars which limits the peg space available for the Indy line. Are the results of how this line is selling having an affect on its future?

ANSWER: The results of how *any* line sells has an effect on its future, as retailers want to ensure that their retail space is as productive as it can possibly be. We certainly hope to get to new figures in 2009. Right now, we are working with retail to maximize the line around what will be one of the biggest DVD releases of the year, along with a strong holiday drive. We know that we have collector interest to some extent (although not nearly to the level of Star Wars) but how long we go will depend on the level of kid engagement and retailer support after the holidays. It's something we'll be watching closely.

QUESTION: Will you be revising your case distributions to make Dr. Henry Jones easier to find and get the wave 1 and 2 figures out of the wave 3 cases (they are overflowing the displays at 4 local Targets, 1 ToysRUs, 3 Meijers, and 6 WalMarts)?

ANSWER: We are using the same ratio management techniques we use for Star Wars, that is producing balanced case packs that appeal to both kids and collectors, and as such we will not be redoing the case pack ratios on IJ.

The challenge with IJ is that kids *only* want and care about Indiana Jones, Mutt, and some of the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull figures - the secondary characters from the previous films are only interesting to collectors. If we produced case packs just focused on The Last Crusade or Temple of Doom, we would be giving the waves too narrow a focus.

Likewise, if we just catered to kids, there would be very few secondary characters. The continued success of the Indy line is predicated upon both kids and collectors remaining engaged; we need both of them in the numbers we originally forecast for the line to be a success and continue forward.

QUESTION: What are the chances of seeing a Circus Train set from the Last Crusade in the Titanium line, perhaps as an exclusive? I was also wondering if there will be anything from the Temple of Doom in the Titanium line? It was left out of the first waves, but I also don't see many options from the film so I was wondering what possibilities there might be.

ANSWER: The Titanium Series line will be done after the 8 vehicles. It's an expensive line for us to do on a relatively smaller brand like Indy, so we will be doing the lineup shown and then rest the line in the hopes we can re-launch with an Indy V someday.

QUESTION: With the Indiana Jones movie come and gone now, will it be difficult to keep retailers interested in stocking this line with nothing like a movie promoting it externally? Already readers are complaining that the Last Crusade wave is next to impossible to find. Is Hasbro taking steps to address this and can they insure consumers that both the Last Crusade and Temple of Doom figures will see as good a distribution as the Raiders and Crystal Skull waves did?

ANSWER: Like with Star Wars, we do our best to forecast ahead of time what the right mix will be, but once we have started shipping figures there is little we can do to control the mix at the store level, and it is really up to the consumer response to direct the sell-through (i.e. whether there are enough kids to take away all the extra Indy figures, enough collectors to pull through the secondary characters, etc). When new waves come in we do prioritize shipping, so that is one way we control what goes out to stores, but overall, when stores replenish depends on consumer takeaway. We are not shorting the figures from either the Last Crusade or Temple of Doom waves, but how fast they get out there to stores depends on the store-level sell-through of IJ figures, when stores need another shipment, and what wave is scheduled to ship at the time.

QUESTION: Any thought of doing some type of deluxe 3 3/4" ARK toy that lights up or has sounds. Something the really re-creates the opening of the Ark scene from the first movie?

ANSWER: That's an interesting idea, but we have no plans to do another 3-3/4" Ark.

QUESTION: Will there be another KOTCS wave for the DVD release?... Ray Winstone's character and Marion seem noticably absent.

ANSWER: There will not be another wave of figures for this year. The next wave will be a Raiders wave in early 2009.

QUESTION: Any chance for Short Round's car or any of aircraft used in the films? How about the elephants?

ANSWER: We'd like to do at least one of those if we can.

QUESTION: Can you give us any info about any characters that are being looked at for 09 yet? How about a 3 3/4" Ark Ghost seeing as how the Adventure Heroes line has one?. Or Lao Che and his sons, from the Temple of Doom? Vogel in black uniform? Indy in German disguise (from Raiders OR Last Crusade)? Donovan? German Mechanic?

ANSWER: By now you have seen the Raiders line we debuted at Comic Con that has two of your selections in there. We expect the Raiders wave out in early 2009. As far as other figures go, it's too early to discuss any more beyond that.